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Attention: Industrial, health, safety correspondents

RSI Day - employers should train staff to type safely

On International Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Awareness Day (Saturday) the TUC are calling on all employers to ensure that any employee who uses a keyboard regularly is trained to use it so that it does not harm their health. People who have not been trained to type properly are far more likely to develop RSI because they repeatedly use the same fingers and use the mouse too much.

Each year 400,000 people suffer from upper limb or neck disorders. Around four million working days were lost in sick leave due to RSI last year at a cost of between £5 billion and £20 billion to employers. Employees can use a simple online checklist, launched today, to find out how to prevent RSI, available at: www.tuc.org.uk/rsi

Brendan Barber , TUC General Secretary, said:

'As more and more people are getting computers at their desks we are becoming a nation of two fingered typists. While you can become quite proficient without typing properly, you are putting yourself at serious risk of developing RSI.

'The TUC is calling on employers to provide typing training to all regular keyboard workers to help tackle this devastating illness.'

Notes to Editors:

- The RSI checklists compliments comprehensive information on RSI at: www.workSMART.org.uk

- A series of TUC rights leaflets are available on our website and from the know your rights line 0870 600 4 882. Lines are open every day from 9am-9pm. Calls are charged at the national rate.

Contacts:

Media enquiries: Ben Hurley 020 7467 1248 or 07626 317903 (pager) or email bhurley@tuc.org.uk

Press release (300 words) issued 28 Feb 2004